Payment processors with a US LLC: Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe and the ITIN

At a glance

Shopify Payments and Shop Pay

• Shopify says it needs the SSN or ITIN of the people on the account for identity verification, even when the business signs up with an EIN.
• For LLCs and other entities, entering a home address outside the US gives the representative an option to state they have no SSN or ITIN; Shopify says non-US residents can upload a photo of a valid passport instead.
• This option isn't available for sole proprietorships: an SSN/ITIN is mandatory and the owner must live in the US.
• For a single-member LLC, the account representative must be the owner.
• You need a US checking account in USD and a physical US address where the business mainly operates. Sellers report that registered agent or virtual mailbox addresses are not accepted.
• Shop Pay runs on Shopify Payments. Shop Pay Installments is only available to US merchants selling in USD.
• If Shopify Payments isn't approved, you can use a third-party provider such as PayPal; Shopify then charges an additional transaction fee.

PayPal Business

• PayPal's US user agreement requires the business to be organized in, operating in or resident in the US; for a company it asks for the legal name, address and tax ID (EIN).
• For beneficial owners (those holding 25% or more), it asks for name, address, date of birth and SSN; PayPal states that foreign persons can provide a passport number or similar information instead.
• In practice, sellers report being asked for an SSN/ITIN during sign-up. This doesn't appear as a written rule on PayPal's official pages, so it needs to be assessed case by case.
• PayPal may limit your account balance until verification is complete.

Stripe

Stripe asks the representative of a US company for the last 4 digits of their SSN or ITIN. If the representative has neither, Stripe accepts a tax ID from their home country along with documents showing they are not a US taxpayer. So an ITIN isn't required for Stripe. Stripe isn't offered as a separate payment provider for US Shopify stores; it's used on your own website or other platforms.

What is an ITIN, and who can get one?

• An ITIN is a 9-digit number the IRS issues for federal tax purposes only, to people who aren't eligible for an SSN. It doesn't grant work authorization or US residency.
• You apply with Form W-7, which as a rule is filed together with a federal tax return (usually Form 1040-NR for non-residents). Applying without a return is only possible under the exceptions the IRS lists, such as a bank account reporting interest income or claiming a tax treaty benefit.
• "A payment processor requires it" is not one of the IRS exceptions, and applications made for that reason alone may be rejected. If your LLC has US-source business income, applying with your tax return is the legitimate route; review this with an accountant or US tax professional.
• A passport is the only document accepted on its own; you must send the original or a copy certified by the issuing agency.
• If you'd rather not mail your passport, an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) can review it in person, return it to you and forward the application to the IRS.
• The IRS quotes 7 weeks, or 9–11 weeks for applications from abroad or filed between January 15 and April 30.
• An ITIN that isn't used on any federal tax return for 3 consecutive years expires on December 31 of the third year.

What a US company opens up

• Registering as a US company on marketplaces such as Amazon.com, Walmart and eBay (each runs its own identity and address checks).
• Applying to US payment processors such as Shopify Payments, Shop Pay, PayPal Business and Stripe.
• Opening a US business bank account and building business credit history. Some banks don't accept founders living in certain countries, so check Türkiye's status before you apply.
• In every case, platforms verify the owner as well as the company; a US company doesn't replace the owner's identity verification.